Barn-cleaning mechanism



F. A. KRUSE. BARN CLEANING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV,27.1920.

Patented Aug. 22, 1922;

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 22, 1922.

Application filed November 27, 1920. Serial No. 426,780.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Fnonn A. Knusn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tyler, in the county of Lincoln and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Barn-Cleaning Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a barn cleaning mechanism and has for its principal object the production of means for pulling a scraper through the gutter which is usually found in a dairy barn immediately behind the row of cattle stalls. A scraper is provided for the gutter and a cable is attached theretoso that the device which I am about to describe may drag this scraper through the gutter and de liver the manure into any preferred receptacle which may be placed at the foot of each gutter. The scraper is to be pulled back by a workman and the device which I am about to describe will pull same so as to collect the manure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this nature which may be operated from various points along the gutter and when the scraper has reached the end of the gutter the machine will automatically stop pulling the scraper.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this nature which will be simple antL inexpensive in construction, durable, efficient and reliable.

With these and numerous other objects in iew, the invention resides in certain novel features of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawing Figure 1 is an end elevation of the device, and

Figure 2 is a fragmentary transverse section taken therethrough.

- Referring to the drawings in detail it will be seen that 1 designates the frame which is rectangular in shape and supports the journals 2 upon its bottom for receiving the shaft 3. A cog wheel a is keyed to the shaft 3 be low the frame 1 and a pulley wheel 5 is dis posed on the end of the shaft 3 for operating same. A belt 6 passes over this pulley wheel 5 and may be operated by any suitable motor.

The bearings 7 in which is mounted the shaft 8 are positioned at one end of the frame 1. Upon this shaft 8 there is pivotally mounted the drum carrying mechanism which consists of the yokes 9 having the extension 10. These yokes 9 are pivotally mounted on the shaft 8 and are provided with journals 11 intermediate their ends for receiving the shaft 12. A drum 13 is mounted upon this shaft and also a cog wheel 14.

This cog wheel 14 is fixedly connected to the drum 13 in any preferred manner and is adapted to mesh with the cog wheels st in a manner to be hereinafter, explained. A bracket 15 iscarried by the forward side of the frame 1 and supports the rod 1.6 around which is disposed an expansion coil spring 17 which engages the yoke 9 for normally holding same in araiscd position and thus holding the cog wheel 14: out of engagement with the cog wheel 4. A brake band ll) is attached to the frame 1 and extends over and around the cog wheel 14 so that when the drum carrying mechanism is in a raised position the teeth of the cog wheel 14: will engage the brake band, and prevent the drum froin spinning. A cable 20 is wound around the drums 18 and extends downwardly so as to pass through a pulley 21 which is preferablv mounted upon the floor of the barn and the end of the cable is attached to the end of a scraper of any preferred construction. It should be understood that the frame 1 is situated close to the ceiling of the barn so as to be out of the way of the cattle. A wire 23 has one end attached to the extension 10 and passes over a pulley 24 and then through a pulley 25 which is disposed at a height greater than the pulley 24 so that any pull upon this wire 23 will pull the extension 10 downwardly and thus force the cog wheel 14: into engagement with the cog wheel 4%.

lit will be readily understood that this wire 23 is hung so as to be over the gutter and within easy reach of the workman so that when the scraper is properly set it be pulled so as to cause the operation of the drums 13 for pulling the scraper through the gutter. It will not be necessary for the operator to continually pull down upon the wire 23 since, after the gears are in mesh, the scraper to which the cable 20 is attached. will cause sufiicient resistance whereby the gears will be held in mesh until the scraper has reached the end of the gutter and is dumped at which time the scraper will be considerably lighter and there will be practically no pull upon the cable 20 from the scraper end and thus the spring 17 will be strong enough to lift the gears out of mesh with each other and thus stop the rotation of the drum 13. l/Vhen the cog wheels 4- and 14 are not in mesh with each other the drum 13 will have a tendency to rotate and in order to prevent this I have provided a brake band 19 which engages the cog wheel 14 when it is in a raisedposition as shown in Figure 1..

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will. be readily understood without a more extended explanation. As numerous mechanical changes may be-made in the minor details of construction of my invention without in any way departing from the spirit thereofI do not wish to be limited "to'the construction herein shown and deley disposed below the end of said auxiliary frame, a second pulley disposed above the first mentioned pulley, said cable being trained over said pulley whereby the two frames may be positioned so that the two, gears will be in engagement with each other when a load is attached to the free end of the cable in the manner and for the purpose specified.

2. In a device of the class described, a main frame, an auxiliary frame pivotally mounted'on the main frame, a drum in the auxiliary frame, a driven gear associated with the drum, a drive gear mounted on the main frame, a spring mounted on the main frame and engaging the auxiliary frame so as to holdthe drive and driven gears out of mesh from each other, a cable wound about the drum, a pulley disposed below the main frame, said cable being trained over said pulley so that when a load is on the free end thereof said frame will be held in a posi tion whereby the two gears will be in mesh with each other and remain so while the load is on the cable.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRODE A. KRUSE. 

